By: Fr. Joseph Varghese
Father Joseph Varghese of the Syrian Orthodox Church recently embarked on a mission trip to Pakistan, visiting the archeological site of Gondopharos Palace. This site is believed to be where St. Thomas the Apostle stayed before traveling to India. Situated about 20 miles from Rawalpindi, the site lies near the famous Silk Road. Historical accounts suggest that St. Thomas’s journey to India might have taken him through Iran, Afghanistan, and eventually into the Indian subcontinent.
The excavated town of Sirkap, located in the kingdom of the Parthian king Gondophares, dates back to between 30 BCE and 80 CE. The area covers approximately 1,200 meters in length and 400 meters in width. The city wall, built in phase 5, was 6-10 meters high, 5-7 meters wide, and nearly 4,800 meters long. According to the early 3rd-century apocryphal text, the Acts of St. Thomas, discovered in Syria in 1822, St. Thomas visited the court of King Gondophares of Taxila on his way to India. The text narrates that Gondophares entrusted St. Thomas with a fortune to build a palace. Instead, St. Thomas gave away all the money, which angered the king. However, after a miraculous event where the king’s brother was revived from near death and recounted a vision of heaven where St. Thomas had built him a palace, the king forgave St. Thomas, and the entire kingdom converted to Christianity.
Today, Sirkap is a pilgrimage site for Pakistani Christians and followers of other faiths who revere St. Thomas. Pilgrims travel from afar to pray at the Throne of St. Thomas, and baptisms are frequently held at the site.
The Taxila Cross:
In 1935, a farmer discovered a cross near the ruins, later presented to the Anglican bishop of Lahore. This “Taxila Cross” is now preserved in the Anglican Cathedral of the Resurrection in Punjab’s capital. Sirkap remains a significant pilgrimage site for Pakistani Christians, with thousands gathering each July 3 to celebrate the feast of St. Thomas, light candles, and perform baptisms.
St. Thomas Catholic Church:
In February 2022, the “St. Thomas The Apostle Catholic Church” was consecrated near Sirkap, Taxila. Serving as a monument close to where St. Thomas is believed to have lived, the church provides a place for pilgrims to pray and worship.
While Christianity in Pakistan is often attributed to the efforts of 16th-century missionaries, the roots of the faith in this region trace back to the Apostles. Historical records from the fourth century reveal that the Bishopric of Antioch had ecclesiastical jurisdiction over churches from Mesopotamia to the Indo-Parthian Kingdoms and the Chiang Kingdom of Mongolia. These archaeological findings and other evidence provide substantial proof supporting the tradition of St. Thomas’s arrival in Malankara.
Source: Global Christian Aid Network
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